Diabetes with a smile–

Month: November 2015

Yep, I went out and bought the Essence of Grapefruit/Grapefruit Oil. What have I got to lose, right? I bought it in a health food store and tried it immediately.

As I told you in my prior post, my friend Linda (the “alternative guru” — seriously, the amount of information she has in her head is AMAZING!), suggested that I try using it to curb my sugar cravings. I did, and it did!!!

PICTURE THIS:

Sicily, 1948. Oh no — sorry, that was The Golden Girls! New York, 2015. I’m having a wicked chocolate craving. Anything will “fix” it — cake, cookies, candy (Oh, My!). I run to my car, drive at breakneck speed to the local health food store to procure my bottle of Grapefruit Oil. Back in my car, I open the bottle, look around to see if anyone’s watching, place a few drops of the magic potion on my finger, and breathe deeply. Feeling like I’ve just completed a drug deal, I step back into reality…

No, not a drug deal. The sugar/chocolate is the DRUG. The Grapefruit Oil is the antidote.

Here’s what I think happens: If our brains can only accept one message at a time, and I PUSH the essence/odor of grapefruit into it — what is it going to encourage me to think? Grapefruit, of course! Evidently, the grapefruit message pushes the chocolate craving out. Hopefully, to the curb. 🙂

I did exactly as Linda suggested. I put a few drops on my index finger (smushed it around) and took a whiff. First of all, it smelled like a wonderful ripe, pink grapefruit. Most importantly, the strong craving for chocolate disappeared. It did — like magic — it really did! But, this isn’t magic. It’s science (remember, aromatherapy is nothing new). Unfortunately, the odor didn’t last. When the craving came back, I had to repeat the procedure (a small price to pay, don’t you think?)

I believe that the actual act of:

stopping what I’m doing,

removing the bottle from my bag,

opening it,

putting the oil on my finger,

smelling it,

closing the container,

putting the container back in my bag,

~~~ is a process that takes a little time. That time slowed me down. Made me stop, think, change my decision.

So what I’m saying is that I think it works (for me) for more than one reason. The odor of the grapefruit removes the craving, and the process takes time, which gives me the opportunity to stop (and NOT eat the sugar product). The only thing that matters is that it did work, even if only for a short time until I had to repeat the procedure.

I will continue to use the grapefruit oil, as part of my defense against the sugar cravings that, at this point in time, seem to be torturing me.

The bottom line is that I will definitely overcome this issue — I have never been more motivated than I am right now.

“ROLLERCOASTER RIDE” is how I’ve described Diabetes in the past. Well, I’m on a wicked ride right now. Ugh — the cravings!

I’m doing everything I know to eat properly, but I’m still being haunted by cravings. Today, a friend, who’s an expert on alternatives, suggested that I try Essence of Grapefruit — “just a few drops on your finger — smell it.” She gave me this recommendation after I had inhaled a cinnamon bun. (Better to sniff grapefruit, my dear…) 🙂 Of course, I’ll be going out soon to scout out some EofG. I’ll let you know.

The topic came up via a conversation on acupuncture. I had accupuncture many years ago for severe pain in my elbow and shoulder. It was a last resort and, I have to tell you, it worked! So when another friend who was probably sick of my whining about the torture of cravings said, “How about acupuncture, it worked for you the last time?” I decided, Why not?

My yoga instructor recommended an acupuncturist, and I made an appointment pronto. Last Wednesday I took the plunge. I was slightly skeptical (I guess because I wasn’t doing it for pain.) and a little anxious, but I dove in. Susan, a licensed acupuncturist, explained everything — did you know there are various types of acupuncture? Chinese, Japanese, Korean (probably more). I was familiar only with the Chinese form. By the end of the session, I had 14 needles placed at various points — incredible. She also threw in a little Reiki; to get rid of some “areas of energy.” O.K., I’m game. Before leaving me for what seemed to be about 15 minutes, she covered me with a FOIL blanket. (What???) She said, “You won’t think you’ll need this now, but it will keep you warm.” I wasn’t cold, but O.K. Within a few minutes, I was chilly (What???). Honest! But that soon passed and I was warm again. I guess, thanks to the blanket.

While horizontal on the table — needled and blanketed — I couldn’t help but think, You really WILL do anything to get rid of those cravings. At end of the session, Susan placed two seeds (Vaccaria Seeds) that are imbedded in tiny bandaids, on points (on my ears) that relate to cravings. Because I was having a wicked bout of allergies, she also placed a minuscule magnet (embedded into another tiny bandaid) on the “webbed” area between my thumb and index finger. I was told to keep them on until they fell off on their own (they did — in the shower — in two days).

I have NO idea whether or not this will work, but the cravings are driving me up the wall, so I’m willing to try. That was Wednesday morning and on Sunday morning, I downed the cinnamon bun. I have another appointment scheduled for Thursday. These things take time.

PARIS is a magical city filled with people who are loyal to their country.

Watching the horrendous events of the last two days has filled me with sorrow. The Parisians are a fun-loving, strong group of patriots who won’t be taken down by these hideous acts. I think it’s only fitting to bring this discussion to a blog dedicated to diabetes. French food is FABULOUS — they take eating seriously. Their portions are just right, which may have something to do with the health and wellness of their people. The city is their gym. The hustle and bustle of Paris serves to keep Parisians thin and walking is what they do — all the time.

The Eiffel Tower

Shopping in small markets is the way to go. The French, food shop, oftentimes every day. I’ve seen men and women stopping into stores carrying a canvas bag or basket, just to pick up a loaf of bread, some pastries, a bottle of wine. They know how to live! Simply, gracefully.

Viva la France!

Please keep the people of France, especially Paris, in your thoughts and prayers during this awful time of distress.

I read a great article in “Living with Diabetes,” online today. Angela Ginn-Meadow, RD, LDN, CDE, is a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and warned about the carbs that are not so obvious.

To avoid spikes in blood sugar, we all know that we have to limit the “white foods” — white pasta, mashed potatoes, white rice, and pastries, of course. I know that they’re low in nutritional value and high in carbs (o.k., I admit that I LOVE mashed potatoes (I’m Irish!), so I do my best to avoid them. Ginn-Meadow points out the sneaky carbs, the ones that are NOT so obvious. For instance, jarred spaghetti sauce; she suggests making homemade pasta sauces using a sugar substitution — OR — NO sugar. I can do that!

FABULOUS lobster dinner in Venice. My daughter had the lobster and pasta dish. Mine? No picture. Must have been boring…

Gina-Meadow went on to warn about the carbs hiding in condiments. I can attest to BBQ Sauce being a wicked culprit — usually, lots of sugar. She warns about Smoothies. I learned that the hard way, as I mentioned in earlier post “Smoothies and Diabetes,” on this blog. Other sweet treats were also mention, such as flavored coffees, yogurt, oatmeal, and some fat-free and sugar-free foods.

I enjoyed this article. It brought information to the forefront — you know how we push things WAY back into our minds, so we don’t have to address them. Gina-Meadow didn’t allow that, she pushed the information forward, so it couldn’t be missed. I thank her for the push…

BUT…

What I’ve learned over the years is that for ME, moderation isn’t always the answer. Sometimes, it just has to be ABSTINENCE. I tell myself, “Kathy, you just can’t have it.” Period. I know myself, at this point, and I’m acutely aware, that in some instances, a little will never be enough, so I just have to NOT EAT IT AT ALL. No one ever died from NOT eating junk food, right? 🙂

It has its ups and downs, its twists and turns, that’s for sure. Diabetes really is like riding a rollercoaster! I proved it to myself today, by perusing my old posts. WOW! Some days were perfect. I kept myself right on track. Others were an abysmal failure, pointing out the nature of this disease.

I guess what counts is that we keep getting back on the train.

I may keep slipping and sliding — but I’m not giving up. I can do this one day at a time, and so can you!

I was out for most of the day, a conscious decision. I thought I was home free but, at around 4 o’clock, I decided that I’d better buy something in case kids ring my bell later in the evening. Why didn’t I just make plans to go to a movie or something? NO, then I wouldn’t have bought the candy… Obviously, I knew exactly what I was doing. So, off to the store I went. I did buy candy that I really don’t like, with the exception of a bag of Snickers. Truth, I’m not crazy about those either. Anyway, the good news is, I gave the leftovers to a friend who works in a school. Nothing better than sugared-up teenagers! My drug of choice is officially out of the house — good for me. Next year — no candy; just go to a movie!

WHY does it have to be so hard? Do any of you feel like an addict when the topic of junk food comes up? Intellectually, I know sugar is addictive, thus I point to myself as an addict. I have a shelf in a bookcase filled with books on sugar. That the “white stuff” is addictive is not news. Getting and staying off it is really difficult! I’ve read the latest and greatest on the topic, I’ve worked really hard over the years, (and worked not so hard too), but the bottom line is always action, choices, the do’s and don’ts. It always points to back to the basics. Always.

Suicide by Sugar, BY Nancy Appleton, Ph.D.. and G.N. Jacobs, is a book that I bought years ago, the copyright is listed as 2009. It’s pretty clinical. Sugar Shock, BY Connie Bennett, and Stephen Sinatra, M.D., was purchased in 2007, in my quest for answers. I’ve found many answers, but do I follow through ALL of the time? NO. That’s the path of this disease; not unlike alcoholism. It’s a journey that I liken to a roller coaster, for obvious reasons. BUT, I keep on trying. I will not give up, no matter what.

Here’s another tome that brings a smile to my face: Sugar Blues BY William Duffy. I just opened my copy and the pages are yellow; it’s dog-eared and well-worn. This one is copyrighted 1976! [I’ve been at this for a LONG time]. Of all the books I’ve read on SUGAR, this one is the BEST. It’s historical, realistic, and filled with valuable information. Of course, it’s dated (the statistics will not be up-to-date), but trust me, it’s also very 2015. Because it’s a “back-in-the-day” book, seems to prove the point — maybe even more so! I can still relate to it.

Halloween is gone, and as the holidays loom ahead, I will be working on my preparedness. Yes, almost like with a hurricane. Just as a weather disaster swirls and strikes furiously into the lives of people, so do poor choices wreak havoc with diabetics. I’ll be ready, and we’ll be talking about being prepared (for those upcoming holidays) in future blogs.